Mayor announces Veterans Memorial Hall at City Hall

(10/16/2006) Mayor John DeStefano Jr. and the Mayor's Veterans' Affairs Advisory Committee are creating a new Veterans Memorial Hall at City Hall that will serve as a stately remembrance of city veterans and that preserves two plaques from the Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

“We look forward to continuing to honor local veterans for their selfless service to our country,” the Mayor said. “I am especially pleased that the City was able to preserve the memorial plaques from the Coliseum in a place as fitting as City Hall.”

Mayor John DeStefano, Jr. and the committee are issuing a special invitation to the families of New Haven veterans who died in Korea and Vietnam, and whose names will be imprinted on the new wall to join the City’s dedication ceremony Saturday, November 11, 2006, at 12:30 p.m. on the second floor of New Haven City Hall, 165 Church St. The project is sponsored jointly by Mayor John DeStefano, Jr. through the Office of Economic Development and the Mayor’s Veterans’ Affairs Advisory Committee. A PDF of the project is attached.

The Veterans Memorial Hall will be located on the second floor of City Hall. It incorporates the original 1973 dedication plaque from the Coliseum, and a restored plaque that has engraved names of New Haven veterans who died in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, along with statements from Mayors John DeStefano, Jr., former Mayor Biagio DiLieto and bronze insignias of the military service branches. This polished black granite monument is designed and produced by Dean Sakamoto Architects, LLC of New Haven. Sakamoto serves on the City's Cultural Affairs Commission and the Yale School of Architecture faculty.

Located in a highly visible area of City Hall's second floor, the monument will be completed by the end of October, in time for Veterans Day.

“We wanted the Veterans Hall to be featured in a part of City Hall that receives the most traffic,” said Mayor John DeStefano, Jr. “We are pleased to have such an elegant place to memorialize our veterans and to continue teaching future generations about those who died in sacrifice for our freedom.” The Mayor thanked the veterans’ committee and Deputy Director of Economic Development Tony Bialecki for coordinating the project.

Bob Fodero, chairman of the Mayor’s Veterans’ Advisory Committee, is pleased with the project. "The memorial wall and hall are intended to provide a place of remembrance, comfort and reflection for those left behind. It is the hope of our committee that this will also serve as a place of renewal for future generations." Fodero added, “I think veterans will be very pleased that we have recovered the plaques from the Coliseum and transferred the names to this new hall.”

Judy Williams, a longtime member of the commission, is also pleased with the fruition of the project. She had a brother who died in Vietnam in 1970, and knows many New Haven families who have lost loved ones to war. “It’s extremely important for people to know this is happening,” she said. “This is something we’ve worked hard to save for generations to come.”

The Mayor said he looks forward to renaming City Hall’s beautiful open atrium as Veterans Memorial Hall. The dedication ceremony is open to the public, but Mayor John DeStefano, Jr. is especially encouraging the friends and family of the veterans honored on the plaque to attend. The project is sponsored jointly by Mayor John DeStefano, Jr. through the Office of Economic Development and the Mayor’s Veterans’ Affairs Advisory Committee.

Below are the names of the New Haven veterans whose brave service to country is honored in the new memorial:

KOREAN WAR

1950 – 1953

Francis H. Abele

Robert P. Abele Russell Hancharyk

Joseph A. Aldo John J. Hughes, Jr.

Malcolm E. Aldrich Donald L. Humiston

John J. Barrett, Jr. Stanislaw Klimowicz

Benjamin R. Bazzell Gerald F. LaCourse

Richard M. Beam Warren H. Leining

Joseph E. Bergeron Gordon E. Lyons

Silas Birchmore, Jr. Roderick MacDonald

Joseph H. Boucher Edward R. Masiulis

Augustus W. Cherry Edward J. McDonald

Victor J. Choiniere Raymond McNamara

Raymond H. Clayton Albert Medas, Jr.

Louis Comis Joseph J. Meehan, Jr.

Bernard D. Cook Richard E. Megin

Francis E. Crawley Roy T. Merriman

Jess M. Cushing Paul Monaco

Alex Danowski Graham B. Munger

Raymond S. Davis Edmund C. Pallesen

Dominic Del Vecchio Louis Pascarella

Donald E. Dibble Donald A. Pina

Frank J. DiPino Laurence A. Reed

Joseph V. Docchio John P. Rigney

Vincenzo G. Donaglia Raymond Rogers, Jr.

Earle S. Downes Rodney R. Rowe

Charles E. Downey Dennis R. Rush

John J. Earley Francis J. Scully

Colin C. Eccles John B. Sherlock

Thomas R. Eckert Alfred R. Sims

Lowell J. Eggert Edwin A. Soares

Oscar E. Espelin Robert L. Strawson

Joseph G. Figaro Jake Tyner, Jr.

Charles H. Fleming Joseph Urbanorwicz

John C. Forkel Edward Zabilowski

John J. Garcia

Joseph J. Gargiulo

Robert J. Gervais

Joseph C.M. Gravel

Charles A. Green

John S. Grover

VIETNAM WAR

1965 ~ 1973

Everett L. Anderson Calvin E. McGilton

Arthur W. Bailey, Jr. Alexander J. McGlothin

Frank A. Barker Francis J. McGouldrick, Jr.

Calvin Belton William M. Meglio, Jr.

Samuel W. Brewer Michael G. Mennone

Creed L. Bryant Frank G. Navarro

D. C. Carter Henry J. Nelson

Thomas A. Chialastri George J. Pascale

Ralph P. Costanzo Joseph A. Pecora

Kenneth Cushen Anthony A. Price

James A. Daniels John H. Raber

Anthony Gianelli Richard J. Regan

Curtis Good Gary C. Richards

Albert F. Graham, Jr. Henry M. Robinson, Jr.

Archie L. Guthrie George A. Shavies

Edward M. Hardwick Robert A. Tillquist

Roosevelt Hardy, Jr. Henry L. Whaley

John J. Illingworth Malcolm G. Williams

Paul J. Maciuszek Bernard A. Zambrano

“This memorial is meant to honor those who gave their lives for our country and for our community. It is appropriate that we gather together as a community, united by their selfless sacrifice, to honor the courage and dedication of these veterans. I hope to see the veterans’ families at the ceremony, so that they can feel strength in our proud remembrance, and be comforted by the warmth of our City’s gratitude,” said Mayor DeStefano.

"The memorial wall and hall are intended to provide a place of remembrance, comfort and reflection for those left behind. It is the hope of our committee that this will also serve as a place of renewal for future generations," said Bob Fodero, chairman of the Mayor’s Veterans’ Advisory Committee. “I think veterans will be very pleased that we have recovered the plaques from the Coliseum and transferred the names to this new hall.”

Judy Williams, a longtime member of the committee, is also pleased with the fruition of the project. She had a brother who died in Vietnam in 1970, and knows many New Haven families who have lost loved ones to war. “It’s extremely important for people to know this is happening,” she said. “This is something we’ve worked hard to save for generations to come.”

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Contact Name: Catherine Sullivan-DeCarlo

Contact Phone: 203-946-7660

Click image to enlarge.
This drawing shows what the Veterans Memorial Hall will look like and includes the names of New Haven veterans who died in Vietnam and Korea. The City hopes all veterans and their families will attend